Begin to Dream Again!
Taking the main thought from yesterday's article - Can you still hear the music? Or, as I talk about on today's podcast, have you allowed the music (passion, drive, dream) to be buried by negative thoughts and influences to the point that it can no longer be heard and enjoyed?
It's easy for us to allow this to happen, so don't beat yourself up too much.
It's easy because it usually doesn't happen all at once but a little bit at a time and a little bit each and every day. Then, after a while, we have failed to even notice that the "music" is gone and, instead, we have replaced it with "noise".
Today I want to encourage you to DREAM AGAIN!
Here are the questions that I said we would address today - "If money were not an issue, what would you be doing right now?" - "Are you doing that right now - today?" - "If not, why not?"
Again, remember - IF MONEY WERE NOT AN ISSUE (because I know that's our first "objection" to this scenario and the first "reason/excuse" we use as to why we AREN'T living that life)!
Somewhere along the way we have lost our passion and our the joy of our dream (the "music") in our lives and for our lives. And we wonder why we often feel unhappy and unfulfilled?
Maybe it was the idea that we had to "get a real job" and give up on our dreams. Maybe it was the lure of something else that took us off course.
Whatever the reason, I want to encourage you to uncover that dream once again!
Now, I understand that you may not be able to make the living that you desire by that dream alone (but, then again, perhaps you could!), but I still want you to get excited about uncovering that "hidden treasure" that you have left out of your life for so long.
Have you ever discovered a box from your attic that contained some items from your childhood? Do you remember the excitement and child-like feeling that you had when you began to rediscover those items and the thoughts and feelings along with them? Do you remember the joy? The thrill? Did you begin talking and sharing with those there with you about what each item was and why you kept it? My guess is you were like a kid all over again!
THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
Just the very fact that you decide to "uncover" and rediscover those dreams (the "music") that you once had will excite you - IF you will allow yourself this joy and pleasure!
Beware of the negative talk in your own mind as well as what may come from others. You may tell yourself, "Oh, just leave that alone - what good will it do to think about it again? You'll never be able to do it anyway, so why even think about it?"
DO IT ANYWAY!
I believe you will feel that same exhilaration that I described above in the scenario of opening a box from your youth.
Do this a little each and every day and feel some joy come back into your life. Feel some hope begin to show up as well. You may very well even discover (as well as your family and those around you) that you are a little happier and not as grumpy and negative as before!
Why? Because you have allowed yourself to "hear the music" or to dream once again!
And finally, one last suggestion - find a way to begin to incorporate these dreams back into your life once again. Just a little at a time begin to find ways to enjoy them in your life.
Perhaps it will be in the evenings or on the weekends...whatever and whenever - just do it and see what happens!
Hey, I'm excited for you!
And, as you do, let the "music move you" like it did once before!
And, hey friend, don't forget to...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
Can You Still Hear the Music?
I'm glad I was able to find the graphic above for today's podcast. Sometimes it's hard for me to find a graphic to "fit" what the topic of the day is and sometimes I have to kind of "stretch" it a bit to make it work -- but this one seems to fit perfectly with today's topic.
Let me get off track a little right off the bat, o.k.? Music is POWERFUL! Music has the ability to make us laugh, smile, sigh and even cry. I believe that music - perhaps on an even level with love - is the most powerful force on earth.
You don't have to agree with me. After all, this is MY blog and MY thoughts, right? But, I can almost promise that you have been moved to tears of sorrow and/or joy as well as had your foot tapping - whether you intended to or not - due to music.
Music is PASSIONATE! And, many times, this passion is what makes music so powerful in our lives.
Think about it. The passion attached to someone that we love is connected to a song that has "just the right words" to it. The two mix together to move us in a powerful way! The passion attached to the pain we feel when someone we love has died can be connected to a song that, again, has "just the right words" that express exactly how we feel at the moment. Powerful.
Have you noticed how even babies just HAVE to move when music starts playing? I've seen that with my own kids and it has always amazed me.
I would sing to all three of my sons while my wife was still carrying them in her stomach and they would get very still as I would sing. My oldest - obviously being the first born - went through a very long ordeal in labor before the doctors finally decided that a Cesarean section needed to be done. By the time he was born, Jacob was very stressed and crying like crazy. When they handed him to me I began to speak and sing to him and he calmed down immediately!
O.k. now - have I painted a pretty good picture of the passion and moving force that we find with music? I hope so and I hope that you can relate. I know you can because, again, music IS such a powerful force in our world.
Now then, in connection to what we began talking about yesterday based on the movie, "August Rush", I must ask the question found in the title of today's article - "Can you still hear the music?"
"Music" in this sense can be a variety of things in your life. I want you to think back 10, 20, 30 maybe even 50 years ago and ask yourself what it was that made you smile and sing? What made you happy? What made your heart soar?
Do you remember what it was like when you saw that special someone for the very first time? What about the very first time that you spoke to that person? Were you nervous? Elated? Excited?
How did you feel when you went out on that first date? How about when they said "yes" to your proposal of marriage? The wedding day...the honeymoon?
How long ago was that? Now fast forward to today. Is it the same or have you allowed all of the "stuff" in life to drag you and your relationship down to where you have forgotten the joy and the passion of your relationship?
Now let's connect this to your "job" and/or what you wanted to be "when you grew up".
What were your plans even when you got married or when you first got out of college or whatever time you were looking at your life ahead in a brand new way?
What were you going to do? How were you going to go about it? Who was going to stop you? Were you going to be the BEST at whatever it was? Was it going to make you happy and provide you and your family with everything you ever dreamed of?
What happened?
(Now, again, I know that there are some of you that are doing what you love and have always been doing what you love. I want to hear from you! Send me a note and let me know how you have kept it this way - mike@futureyouuniversity.com )
For many, the "dream" has vanished and they find themselves doing something other than what they had planned as well as finding that they dread each and every day. They find that because of this dread, they are physically and emotionally exhausted most - if not all - of the time. Due to this, many times the life at home with the family is not at all what they had planned either.
What happened?
Can you still hear the music in the midst of all of this or has it been silenced by all of the "stuff" that is weighing you down? Am I connecting with you here?
Here's the thing - the music STILL PLAYS whether we can hear it or not. It's still there and it still has the ability to move and inspire our lives.
The "music" I refer to can be called "passion", "drive", "motivation" or whatever it is that you want to call it. Whatever it is that puts the "wind in your sail" and gives you that feeling that, indeed, anything is possible!
Can you still hear it? Can you still feel it? Do you feel the sense that it IS still there is you will be take the time and the effort to listen?
Here are a few questions to lead us into tomorrow's discussion:
If money were not an issue, what would you be doing? Are you doing that? If not, why not?
Give it some thought, wrestle with it, write down your thoughts and join me tomorrow as we continue this discussion and, in the mean time....listen for that "music". It's still there!
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
What Are YOU Absorbing Today?Each and every day we absorb an unimaginable amount of information.
Some good. Some not so good. Some useful and much that is useless!
Some positive and some negative.
Here's the deal...although we may all be exposed to this almost overpowering amount of "data" for our minds, we can control what and how much we actually let in!
A lot of this has to do with what we are seeking, what we are wishing to include in our lives and what we are wanting to make a "permanent" part of our mind and mindset.
Permanent? Yes, permanent! Once it's "in there" it's "in there" for good!
If we don't have any focus or direction in and/or for our lives then it really doesn't matter to us what we do or don't let into our mind. We become a "human landfill" that is open for anyone and everyone to freely "dump" whatever they'd like into our lives and our minds.
Pretty picture, huh?
However, if we DO have focus and we are determined to keep out as much negativity from ever gaining access to our minds and attitudes, then we will likely be successful in this endeavor. Why? Because it is part of what we have "set out" to do and accomplish in our lives!
Here's the real kicker - even those that have no focus and have turned their minds into that "human landfill" likely once had passion and focus in their lives - they've just given up and given in!
When did they (you?) give up on following their (your?) dreams? When did they stop "listening" to that inner voice that kept them going with hope and promise?
WHAT HAPPENED?
In today's podcast I talk about the movie, "August Rush" starring Robin Williams. This movie came out in 2007 and I highly recommend it for your viewing if you have not seen it already. Even if you have, you might want to watch it again!
I had watched it once before and it was on again over the weekend. My son, Jordan and my wife were watching it so I sat down to watch what was left of the movie. It's really a powerful movie full of all kinds of "hidden treasures" for those that are seeking to follow their passions.
You can listen to the podcast for more, but let me get to the main thought and idea that I want to share today about this movie - would that be alright with you?
The main character in the movie is a boy of about 12 years old that is searching for his parents. His grandfather forged his mother's signature to "release papers" in the hospital which allowed him to be put up for adoption. His mother - a teenager at the time - was told by her father that the baby had died during childbirth. The father of the baby - the girl's boyfriend had been run off by her father "for her own good".
They were both deeply moved and involved in music and this boy - renamed "August Rush" by Robin Williams' character ("Wizard") - was very musically inclined and would say that the music would help him find his parents.
He heard music EVERYWHERE! He heard music in the busy traffic of the New York city streets! He heard music in the noise that he encountered as he walked those streets. Everything was music to this young boy's ears!
Again, for more details, listen to the podcast or just watch the movie (really, DO watch it!) or check out this Wikipedia article - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Rush , but at one point in the movie this boy and Robin Williams' character are looking up at the stars and Robin Williams asks the boy, "Where you do get it? (the music) Where does it come from?"
The answer? Something along the lines of, "I just hear it everywhere. It calls out to me!"
He "listened" to what led him - his passion, his life and, in his own belief - his future with his parents that he had never even seen.
Now, I'll be talking more about other thoughts I picked up on from the movie during the rest of this week, but just think about that one main thought and how POWERFUL it is and how POWERFUL it can be in our own lives!
What passion are YOU following? What is your LIFE'S PASSION? Direction? Path? Course?
What are YOU "hearing"? What are YOU absorbing?
Somewhere along the way many of us - if not MOST of us - have forgotten to listen to our dreams and to our heart's desire and we have given up and stopped listening!
That "inner voice" has been muffled by all of the other "noise" and other "voices" (usually negative) that we have allowed into our lives.
My guess is that for many of you, as you read these last couple of paragraphs, you maybe felt a slight "tug" from inside. Am I right?
It's that "inner voice" trying to get your attention once again. It's that passion that you have put away that is trying to come back to the surface!
Do you feel it?
DO NOT GIVE UP! Do NOT stop listening!
This was the whole point of the title - "What Are YOU Absorbing?" - are you absorbing the sounds and "vibes" (yes, I said "vibes") that can draw you, lead you to your destiny?
And, yes, I feel that strongly about it!
Or will you turn a deaf ear once again and follow the same, mindless path of so many?
Be sure to follow this blog and my podcast this week IF you want to start to listen once again. IF you want to start to dream once again. IF you want to start to LIVE once again.
Until then - and as you go through the day...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
Survivor: Character Counts!
For this week's last blog entry I wanted to share a few more thoughts on some things that I saw as part of this most recent season of "Survivor" which came to an end this past Sunday night.
I've already talked about Pavati's excuse of, "I had no choice!" in trying to defend her alliance with Russell - the most vile of the villains - when she realized that her decision to do so was starting to cost her in her bid to win the $1 million prize.
And that's exactly what it is - an EXCUSE!
Have you bought into that excuse in your own life? Have you decided that it's easier to give up any responsibility in and for you own life by claiming that you have no choice? Please don't!
There is ALWAYS a choice. Always. 100% of the time.
The choices that we have may not always be wonderful choices, fun choices or even choices that we particularly want to make, but there are ALWAYS choices and we make them every single day.
Deciding to do nothing, to wave the white flag of surrender and proclaim, "I give up! I have no choice" is a choice in itself. Please understand that it is a choice that will never lead you forward closer to your dreams and your goals.
The excuse, "I have no choice" is like a ball and chain tied around your ankle that will always weigh you down and keep you where you claim that you don't want to be.
Free yourself, take responsibility and open your eyes to the many choices that surround you each and every day!
Now on to the second part of today's discussion - CHARACTER COUNTS!
As I mentioned, Russell (in my opinion and apparently in the opinion of those that played with him and against him) was the most vile of the villains. He lied to anyone and everyone and told them whatever they wanted to hear. He continuously would tell someone one thing and then turn around and tell another person something completely different. He tried to threaten and bully everyone else because of his perceived "ultimate power and control" of the game.
He did well! He got all the way to the final three contestants - as he did in his last appearance on the show - who had a chance to win $1 million. And, just as it was the last time he was on the show, he really thought that he was the clear winner and that he would be rewarded the money.
Wrong!
Not only did he not win, he didn't even receive one vote from his peers deeming him worthy of the prize. Russell was shocked.
Really? Yes, really!
He felt - and even said - that those on the "jury" that he had helped kick off of the island and lied to (he had lied to each and every one of them) would respect (he actually used that word) the way that he played the game and that they would vote him in as the winner.
Wow. I don't believe anyone could ever be more "off" in their opinion and that of reality.
But, you see, this is one of the things I absolutely hate about this show. People have begun to believe that the phrase, "Outwit, Outlast, Outplay" means "Always Lie" in the process of the game.
That really bugs me! In my opinion, if you really want to see someone "outwit, outlast and outplay" then let's see someone do so WITHOUT lying! That, my friend, would be a person deserving of the $1 million!
But back to the main point - CHARACTER COUNTS!
Russell found out that, to his surprise, even in a game full of lies, CHARACTER COUNTS.
And, for those that follow the show that phrase does seem a little odd when talking ABOUT that show!
So many people live their lives conniving and scheming to get ahead and try to excuse their actions by saying something along the lines of, "Oh, that's just the way of the world!" and "If I don't do this I'll get chewed up and spit out!".
And yes, sadly, many people do get ahead in our world by living lives of dishonesty. (By the way, one thought I had about Russell was this - would you want to do business with him in the "real world" after watching how dishonest and conniving he was?).
But even when it may not seem to be so, please understand and stick to the belief that CHARACTER COUNTS!
It counts in defining who you are! It counts in defining your legacy that you will leave behind! It counts in what your children see in you - part of that legacy.
When you live a life of dishonesty and deceit you will always be living a life of discomfort and distrust. After all, if YOU are dishonest and deceitful then likely the people that you have around you are the same way. Watch out for that proverbial "knife in the back"!
However, even though those that live lives of character do not always see the immediate "reward", know this - YOU WILL ALWAYS BE BLESSED BY LIVING IN SUCH A WAY!
Yes, you will. Your life will be blessed with TRUE and HONEST friends - people that you can count on and are willing to be counted! You will find people ready to help you at a moments notice regardless of the need or when the need arises. You will live a life of contentment knowing that you have done your best to live a life worthy of the "Golden Rule" - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Hey, that may sound corny - but it's true.
CHARACTER COUNTS!
And I encourage you to live that way today even if it seems that those who live otherwise are the ones "getting ahead".
Let's get to the finish line and THEN take a look around, agreed?
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
